The Dog Centre - for professional dog trainers in the UK

Maltese

General Appearance

Smart, white-coated dog, with proud head carriage.

  Below Average Above Key
Likelihood to wander   Medium    
Protectiveness     High  
Destructiveness     High  
Quietness   Medium    
Good with children   Medium    
Affinity to other dogs   Medium    
Size Low      
Lifespan   Medium   Below: < 10 years
Average: > 10 years
Above: > 15 years
Location   Medium   Below: Town only
Average: Town and Country
Above: Country only

Characteristics

Lively, intelligent, alert.

Temperament

Sweet-tempered.

Head and Skull

From stop to centre of skull (centre between forepart of ears) and stop to tip of nose, equally balanced. Stop well defined. Nose black. Muzzle broad, well filled under eye. Not snipey.

Eyes

Oval, not bulging, dark brown, black eye rims, with dark haloes.

Ears

Long, well feathered, hanging close to head; hair to mingle with coat at shoulders.

Mouth

Jaws strong, with perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws. Teeth even.

Neck

Medium length.

Forequarters

Legs short and straight. Shoulders well sloped.

Body

Well balanced, essentially short and cobby. Good spring of rib, back level from withers to tail.

Hindquarters

Legs short, well angulated.

Feet

Round, pads black.

Tail

Feathered, carried well arched over back.

Gait

Straight and free-flowing, without weaving. Viewed from behind, legs should neither be too close nor too wide apart.

Coat

Good length, not impeding action, straight, of silky texture, never woolly. Never crimped and without woolly undercoat

Colour

Pure white, but slight lemon markings permissible.

Size

Height not exceeding 25 cms (10 ins) from ground to withers.

Excercise Requirements

Light

Grooming Needs

Considerable

Notes

Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.




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